Trio of Former Champions Aiming for Second Speedweek Title
BELLEVILLE, ILL. (June 10, 2019) – The star power of POWRi Illinois Speedweek is evident each and every year with headliners swarming from around the world to the “Illini State” for a thrilling five-night stretch. This week’s sixth annual running is no different, featuring the trio of Logan Seavey, Tanner Thorson, and Michael Pickens all chasing a second Speedweek championship, among countless other contenders in the hunt.
For Seavey, the Sutter, California native looks to re-write the record books with the potential to become the first back-to-back champion in Illinois Speedweek history. The 2017 POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League champion, Seavey used finishes of fifth, third and first one year ago when he topped the 2018 edition of Speedweek. Fresh off a coveted Indiana Midget Week championship last week, the 22-year old Keith Kunz Motorsports competitor is all system go to chase another Speedweek title aboard the Mobil 1, Toyota Racing No. 67.
Adding some international flavor to the highly-anticipated week, Michael Pickens of Auckland, New Zealand is back for another shot at Illinois Speedweek, this time behind the wheel of the Matt Estep owned Envirofab, King/SR-11 No. 1NZ. The 2017 Speedweek champ, Pickens collected two victories at The Dirt Track at Route 66 and Macon Speedway en route to his initial title. A winner of ten-career POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League features, Pickens has also collected victories at Speedweek tracks Jacksonville Speedway (September 14, 2007) and Lincoln Speedway (June 7, 2013).
Making his much-anticipated return to the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midget League, Tanner Thorson reunites with the iconic Keith Kunz Motorsports stable to tackle the five-race slate in the Walker Filters, Toyota Racing No. 98. The 2016 Illinois Speedweek champion, Thorson of Minden, Nevada, is also the winningest driver in Speedweek history, racking up eight triumphs over five years. In fact, Thorson has visited victory lane in Speedweek competition at four of the five tracks, only missing a win from Macon Speedway.
Slated to present a grueling five-race stretch, the sixth annual Illinois Speedweek will feature both the POWRi Lucas Oil National Midgets and the POWRi Engler Machine & Tool Outlaw Micros. Beginning on Wednesday, June 12 at Belle-Clair Speedway, the weeklong series will visit Fayette County Speedway on Thursday, June 13, Jacksonville Speedway on Friday, June 14, and Macon Speedway on Saturday, June 15, before the finale on Sunday, June 16 at Lincoln Speedway.
For fans unable to attend in-person, Speed Shift TV will have you covered with a live pay-per-view broadcast of all five nights. Head over to www.speedshifttv.com to order your viewing pass today!
For more information, visit www.powri.com online, follow @POWRi_Racing on Twitter, or like POWRi on Facebook.
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